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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: snap · temple · jam · land · foot · nail · cue · face

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. face — to confront
  4. foot — a measure
  5. face — to point toward
  6. cue — a hint
  7. snap — to click
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. cue — for pool
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. land — to come down
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. land — ground
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. face — part of the head
  24. cue — a signal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com